In a criminal case, the state, through a prosecutor, initiates the suit, while in a civil case the victim brings the suit. Persons convicted of a crime may be incarcerated, fined, or both. Criminal defense attorneys represent clients who have been accused of committing a crime, and defend their rights at each stage of a misdemeanor or felony case -- from an arrest to an appeal after conviction. Criminal defense attorneys may be hired privately or provided by the government (called "public defenders").
Elbert is an unincorporated community and the location of a U.S. Post Office in Elbert County, Colorado, United States. The community is named for a past Colorado territorial governor and state Supreme Court Justice Samuel Hitt Elbert. The Elbert Post Office has the ZIP Code 80106. Elbert was a bustling center until May 31, 1935, when Kiowa Creek, a stream next to the community, flooded suddenly and washed away half of the community. It now is the location of only a few stores, churches, and houses. The majority of Elbert residents are involved in the agriculture sector. On June 15, 2009 at 1:46 pm, a large three quarter mile-wide, EF2 tornado touched down in rural fields west of the town. The tornado came within 2 miles of the town at its closest. The tornado destroyed a barn at a farm and damaged an airplane hangar. During the summer, Elbert is much busier due to a nearby Boy Scout Camp, Peaceful Valley Scout Ranch, which has 10,000 visitors annually. Additionally, 2.8 miles south of Elbert lies the J-CC Ranch Camp, a Jewish camp owned by the Denver Jewish Community Center. Elbert lies along Elbert Road, which connects the town of Kiowa to U.S. Route 24. The largest nearby city is Elizabeth, which is about 15 minutes' drive away.